TITLE: Old Faces PART: Three of a four part series (Part One: Mole Hunt Part Two: A Tome To Grieve) AUTHOR:Courtney EMAIL:courtz16@h... THANKS and NOTES: If you are unsure what SOG or Soggies stands for its Special Operations Group, and just a quick note of thanks to Cattsy for doing my proof reading (and doing it so quick!) and to Lauren for helping me to brainstorm the whole idea. DEDICATION: As you have all probably realised I'm not really big on dedications, but I am going to make an exception with this series. The entire series is dedicated to Krystal, she was a great writer, and a great friend on MSN. Condolences to Ally and Krystals family and friends. The stars that shine the shortest really do shine the brightest. A week after the funeral, the team returned to the factory for the first time. It was a Sunday, and no one else was there. They had gone to the factory with the purpose of cleaning out Angie’s personal effects. They worked in silence, Mac cleaning out her drawers, Pete going through her locker, Danni looking at her desk and Oscar looking through her computer files. Pete was the first to finish, coming out to the office with the others with a plastic bag full of her belongings. In his hands he had the collection of photos that had been stuck to the door of Angie’s locker “Look at these would ya?” Angie had photos of each of them, including Kaye, in the door of her locker, but more importantly, each of them had a note written on the back. A small note Angie had thought to write, just in case anything happened to her. Pete handed each of them their photo, each smiling at the sweet little message Angie had wrote to them. Mac took Kaye's photo “I’ll make sure this goes to Kaye” After only a few hours, all of Angie’s personal things had been put into two boxes, ready to send to her family, while all her files had been deleted, like she never even existed. The team sat down on the couch in Mac’s office, drinking beer. Mac broke the silence, with some news of Angie’s replacement “Guys, I have some news I need to tell you all. For the past year while I have been in charge I haven’t felt like I was part of the group, and what happened to Angie made me realize that I belong here with you guys, not in that office up the stairs. I have arranged for me to take Angie’s place in the unit, and for a replacement boss to take my place, apparently this guy is from Sydney” The three sitting on the couch smiled. They had noticed Mac had been pre occupied being boss. It was going to be good to have her back. Pete said “It’ll be good to have you back Mac. Doing real work” Mac laughed, but stopped abruptly. As they all looked toward their shoes, Oscar finally said “You know, I think Angie wouldn’t mind us laughing” Danni smiled and added “I think she would approve” Pete smiled “Yeah” Mac decided the time had come “Do you guys remember the time Angie had her first informant?” Oscar and Pete laughed, while Danni took interest. Oscar said “Yeah, she was on a drug bust, and I was on a gun buy, but we both ended up at the drag strip. But she took it all in her stride. Like the time we were at the farm….” They continued on into the night, sharing their different stories of Angie, all a part of the healing process. The following Tuesday, Mac drove her little blue laser into the factory. Pete had rang her at an hour ago, saying the new boss had arrived, and had ordered that all members had to be present for a roll call, despite it being her day off. She parked and locked her car, and went to find the rest of the team. They were lined up in the meeting room, and she could see the back of their new boss. Mac went to step in to line wanting to enter unnoticed, but that didn't work. With his back still facing her, the new boss addressed her in a formal manner “Ellen McKenzie I’m assuming, you will need to learn to be a little more punctual” Mac answered him looking at her shoes, not used to being chastised and not sure of to call him “Yes…. Boss” The tall, man swung around as Mac spoke “Johanna?” Mac’s head snapped in the direction of her name. He said it again “Johanna Callum?” The attention of everyone else in the room had been captured, and they all looked on in interest, Danni thought aloud “Johanna, suits you” the attention of the new boss left Mac momentarily, as he turned to Danni “Danniella, I have warned you about your mouth already” Danni shrunk back into line, between Oscar and Pete “Yes Sir” The new boss, having recovered from the shock of meeting a past acquaintance continued on “All dismissed. I am going to have a more thorough briefing on what I expect of this Unit at 0100 hours. Understood.” The team began to disband, as the boss raised his hand. The team all answered “Yes Sir” Mac, still looking bewildered went to join her friends, but a familiar hand rested on her shoulder “Johanna, my office” Mac followed him into her old office, and as the door closed began “Headquarters didn’t tell me the Dave Matheson was replacing me.” The new boss sat down at Mac’s desk “Well I had my name changed for security purposes didn’t I?” Mac looked puzzled “But you are only organizing operations I thought, not going undercover” The man looked at Mac. Mac didn’t understand why his named had to be changed. Bernie hadn't changed his name, why would this boss have to? But she didn’t continue down this line. Instead she asked “So what is you name now? What do we call you?” The man smiled “My name is now Jonathan Adair, but you and the others will call me Sir or Boss. Is that understood? No exceptions. And another thing..” He looked down at her file “no one is to know about our past relationship, is that understood” Mac felt anger rising inside of her “What, no one is to know about the way you just left? When I needed you most, of course not Boss” Mac was now sincerely regretting her choice to step down form the top position, but knew the team still depended on her, so she said as she was leaving “Go easy on the team would you? For their sake. We just lost a popular member of the team, a friend, so just try, try to be nice” Jonathan looked at her “That’s not my problem, that’s why you don't form friendships in Undercover. Its in the rules McKenzie. I’m telling you know, a lot is going to be changed around here. You were always one to stick to the rules Johanna, what happened?” Mac opened the door, and said just before slamming it shut “I became human” The team looked up as the door slammed, and Mac stormed down the stair, but Pete couldn’t resist “So, Jo how do we know Mr Hard Arse in there?” Mac was not in the mood for any of Pete’s taunts replied “First of all, it’s Johanna, and we used to know each other in Sydney, that’s all” Mac headed straight for the toilets, while Danni said “Trust me guys, that’s not all, I know these things” Oscar looked up from his computer “Whatever you reckon, Danniella” Danni cringed, and went on with her work. “This Unit is notorious for not following the rules, going against protocol, and yet somehow getting results. Well that is all going to change. Beginning with the number one rule of undercover socializing with one another. That is now strictly forbidden there is to be absolutely no relationships in this unit, even platonic ones. Anyone found breaking these rules will be severely reprimanded. Once friendships are formed you loose all objectivity, as in the case of Angie Piper. And now you are all paying the consequences of grief...” Oscar could no longer sit there, and jumped out of his seat, but Pete quickly pulled him back, but this did not go unnoticed by Adair “Do you have something to say Stone” Stone just scowled, while Pete attempted to calm him down a little. Adair went on “Now, we are going to rearrange the way we do things around he. From now on every little thing you do will go through me” Adair ignored all the moans and continued, while Danni leant across to Church “I heard this guy used to be an efficiency expert before he joined the Force” Once again Danni comments did not go unheard “Do you have anything to say Danniella” Danni felt her courage rising, and decided to take advantage of the fact “I actually prefer Danni, if that’s ok” Adair just glared at her, and said “No, that’s not ok, and that goes for all of you. I believe nicknames are a sign of friendship and affection. From now on, you are to refer to one another either by surname and rank, or full Christian name. So Danniella, you are Danniella and Ellen, you are Ellen” The briefing continued for the next hour detailing new book keeping procedures, security cautions and numerous other boring details. After they were finally dismissed, Pete spoke quietly to Mac “Well Ellen, he makes me see the nice side to Susan Abbott, don't you reckon” Mac smiled, and saw Adair watching them through the partially closed venetians in her office, and decided to add to Pete “I’m sure glad that it was Bernie we had as a boss three years ago, and not him. We would both be on the dole now” Pete laughed, and he to noticed Adair separating the verticals to have a better look at the both of them, so they went their separate ways, but not before Mac whispered “Check your emails this arvo, I’ll send a note to you, Danni and Oscar. We should get together” Pete smiled “Secret meetings, just like the old days!” Danni looked down at her watch. She was sure Mac’s email had said this pub, at 7pm, and it was now ten past. Just as she was about to ring Mac on her mobile, Oscar walked through the door, followed by coincidence by Pete. The two of them spotted Danni sitting by herself on a small table, and went straight over to her and sat down. Danni forgot all about greetings “Where’s Mac?” Pete who was sitting next to Danni answered her “She called me a half hour ago. Said for us to order, that she had to go see someone first.” Danni shrugged her shoulders, and signaled for the waiter to bring over some menus. Mac made her way up the hill. Why was it everytime she came here it was windy? Mac folded her arms in an effort to keep her warm, and walked up to Angie’s grave and knelt down beside it. The flowers from the funeral were still there, but many of the petals had been blown of by the wind, and the sun had browned those that remained. Mac cleared the area around Angie’s grave, and placed the fresh flowers she had bought at the base of the gravestone, then reached into her handbag “I know how much you hate junk food Ange, but I was driving past McDonalds and couldn’t help myself. I had to buy a Happy Meal, and this is what came with it” Mac pulled out a Little Miss Sunshine toy “It reminded me of you Ange” Mac laughed to herself, and looked around the cemetery, making sure no one was there. To the west, the sun was setting, turning the whole sky magnificent shades of red. Mac ignored this beautiful sight, and began to sing to Angie, unsteadily at first making sure she was singing in past tense “You were my sunshine, my only sunshine. You made me happy, when skies were gray. You never knew dear, how much I loved you. Then they took my sunshine away” At the end of her performance, Mac wasn’t sure whether she was going to laugh or cry, but her attempts at laughter turned into tears. “Oh Angie, what am I going to do? I’ve mucked up big this time. I thought I was doing the right thing, stepping down, going back to what I loved. But then Dave showed up, and it turns out he is the new boss. So now I’m not only working with one ex boyfriend, but two. Only Dave isn't like Pete. Dave is, well Dave is… an arsehole really. I don't know what I ever saw in him. I was sixteen, and he was my first. I don't know, he seemed nice at the time. He was actually nice at the time. First boy I ever really knew, going to an all girls and all.. But guys aren’t always what they seem are they? Well Ange, I’m going to meet the others. They all miss you, things don't seem normal, and I don't think they ever will, not without you. To give those guys a hard time and keep me feeling human. Well I really got to go, I’ll be back soon” and with that Mac made the long walk back down to her car, tears still streaming down her face. Mac arrived at the pub and saw her team kicking back and laughing in the corner. Just like old times, only they were no longer her team and Angie was no longer with them. Mac, determined not to be overcome by grief once again, went straight over to the others “Hey guys” The three looked up, and Oscar said as Mac took her seat “Look, if it isn't Jo?” Danni laughed “Yes Jo, we have been debating for the last hour about how you know our new boss Johnny Adair” Pete decided to take his turn at speaking “And Jo, we have come to the conclusion that he must be an old boyfriend” Mac laughed, praying that her face was not giving the truth away “First of all its Johanna, not Jo. My parents made sure of that, and no he was not my boyfriend, I do have some taste” Pete laughed, but Mac went on “His parents were friends of mine, and we were barely friends. How could you even think I would touch an egotistical bastard like that” The team believed her, and raised their glasses to Macs last words. Pete first saying “Here’s to that Mac” Danni raised her glass next “Here’s to forbidden friendships” Oscar was last to raise his glass next “Here’s to us guys!” Two hours later, after the guys had left Danni and Mac sat finishing their last drinks, discussing their latest case that had been assigned today “I always end up with the good jobs Mac. How come you get to lap it up in first class while I have to serve drinks to alcoholic business men?” Mac laughed “Maybe Dave thought you were the air hostess type, I don't know!” Danni laughed, but her laughter was cut short, as Cher’s voice came from the jukebox, with The Shoop Shoop Song “Does he love me? I wanna know, how can I tell if he loves me so!” Danni tried hard to compose herself, but upon hearing the song for the first time since that night, she broke down into tears. Mac, confused at first put her arm around Danni, as Danni tried to explain “Angie and I…. At the safehouse” Unable to say anymore Danni began to sob, while moved her chair closer to Danni’s trying her best to comfort her, trying to be the strong one, despite the tears streaming down her face. Why did Angie have to leave us. She felt the anger rising inside of her. She swore could hear Craig Townsend laughing at them in their grief. Danni adjusted her tie in the mirror that was placed on the door of her locker. After tugging it one way then the next, she gave up, shutting the locker door with a loud bang. As she double-checked her handbag, Mac came into the locker room, all prepared to take part in the sting, dressed in an expensive navy suit, complete with sunglasses. She greeted Danni as enthusiastically as she could “Morning!” Danni looked at her in disgust “How can you be so happy the morning after the night we just had?” Mac laughed and sat down on the bench between the lockers, moving her glasses down to her nose, so Danni could see her bloodshot eyes, complete with black bags underneath “Danni, I’m not, trust me. I’ve had about half a packet of Panadol, and just as much Barocca and I am barely functioning” Danni laughed, and Mac threw all of her gear in her locker, only keeping a small handbag with her. Once she had finished, she looked at Danni, who was also looking worse for wear and said “Come on, lets do this” As they left the locker room, and entered the meeting room, they were greeted by Jonathan Adair “Ellen, Danniella so nice of you to join us. Maybe now I will be able to conclude the final briefing” With raised eyebrows the pair sat down, and Adair continued his briefing “Ok guys, here is our suspect Wade Johannsen. This guy has no priors, but according to the airline, he is the only common link between all the thefts from their cargo hold, now Danniella...” Pete interrupted “Ahh Boss, is this guy a passenger, a airline worker, ground worker, what?” Adair glared at Pete, not liking to be told he had neglected to say some vital information in the briefing “Passenger. Now Danniella are you all ready for your part in the operation?” Danni sighed, still not liking Danniella “Yes Boss” “Alright then, Ellen, Oscar, you ready, tickets all organized” Mac and Stone answered in unison “Yes Boss” Adair looked half pleased, and turned to Pete “You’re in the surveillance vehicle with me, this is going to be a high tech operation” “Ok, lets go to it.” Mac looked around at the others. It was obvious that they weren’t going to say anything, so Mac decided to discreetly followed Adair, who was headed to the Com-V. As soon as they were out of site of the others, Adair swiftly turned around, startling Mac “Yes Ellen, what is it?” Mac knew he was impatient, but she was beginning to grow impatient as well “Dave…. Sorry Boss have you read our personal files at all?” Adair looked at Mac, interested where this conversation was leading, Mac continued “Because if you had, you would have realized that it would be better to have Pete with me and Oscar in the Com-V, Oscar is a lot better with all the high tech things than Pete. Also, you would have been better having Danni in my place, and I take Danni’s place, because I have done a few Air Hostess cases, I know the drill” Adair considered what Mac had said before answering “Thank you for your input Ellen, but I think I will leave Peter, Danniella and Oscar where they are. I have read through everyone’s file, and it has occurred to me that Pete is a bit of a favourite, both with you and Bernie Rocca. For all his years in undercover, he has done hardly any surveillance, and that is going to change” Mac decided to say what she thought “Do that and you are taking an extremely valuable operative out of the field” Adair looked at her in surprise, talking to your superior like that just wasn’t done “Mackenzie, you are going to have to learn that you are no longer boss, so your opinion doesn’t count. And just a little tip, you better tell Church that if he doesn’t brush up on his computer knowledge and his surveillance techniques he is going to be looking for a new job.” Mac looked at Adair in disgust. How could I have loved this man? She walked away, telling herself that he had changed, he used to be at least civil. For a moment Mac lost her place in the argument, trying to remember what is was that made the man standing in front of her so attractive. Frustrated and unable to think of a reply, Mac walked off. Mac and Oscar walked through the crowded airport, Oscar wheeling a trolley loaded with expensive looking luggage. Mac looked up at Oscar. He looked distant, staring off into the distance “Are you alright Stone?” Oscar looked at Mac in confusion, and she repeated “Are you ok?” Oscar smiled half-heartedly “Yeah sorry Mac… Ellen (Stone remembered the wire).. it’s just the last time I was *here* was the last…” Mac knew Adair would be listening and quickly finished off his sentence “The last case you were on?” Oscar nodded, catching on to why Mac had interrupted him, and welcomed her gesture of slipping her arm into his. Finally they arrived at the baggage terminal, and as they expected their suspect was in sight, checking out the luggage going into the flight. As Oscar lifted the baggage carefully onto the conveyor belt, Mac said purposely to the airline attendant “Please be careful with our luggage, antique Royal Dalton is irreplaceable” The man behind the conveyor belt nodded, and Mac and Oscar went through to board the plane. Once they were settled, and were in mid air, and out of range from the wire transmitter, Oscar reached into his hand luggage and pulled out his Discman. As he pulled it out, his wallet came out with it, and flipped open. As Mac bent down to get it, she was greeted with Angie’s smiling face, Mac froze, sitting forward on her seat, staring at the wallet on the floor. She picked it up and examined the picture more thoroughly, with Oscar looking on. Although she hadn’t noticed straight away Oscar was in the picture to, standing behind Angie. They looked like a couple, all dressed up, Angie in her in a black shoestring dress, Oscar in his suit and tie. Oscar was standing behind he, holding her around the waist as she leaned back into him. Oscar explained “It was her cousins wedding, she needed a date” Mac smiled as her fingers ran over Angie’s face, she quietly said to Oscar “When she smiled, her whole face lit up didn’t it?” Oscar laughed “And the way her lips curved, up the top when she really smiled.. Her smile could light up a whole room Mac, it really could. She was the most beautiful person that God ever placed on this Earth Mac, inside and out. I never thought grief could hurt this much Mac, every waking moment I’m in indescribable pain, my whole body aches and there is nothing I can do, nothing I can take. I was angry, but I’m not any more. Now I’m just empty and lost.” Mac had no word that could comfort Oscar. She leant her head on Oscar’s shoulder, and they sat in silence. An hour into their flight to Brisbane, Danni came along with a tray of tea and coffee. As she poured Mac a strong black coffee, she gave a note to Oscar who was sitting on the aisle. As Danni left, Oscar opened the note. It was from Adair “Operation has been aborted, please collect the luggage as normal and catch the 1430 flight back to Tullamarine Adair” Oscar slumped back into his chair in frustration, as Mac read the note over, murmuring “This is bullshit!” She reached into her bag for her phone, and after pressing a couple of buttons put it to her ear “Adair, its Ellen, what’s the go with the operation?…. Is that all? There is a tracking device in the bag… You want us to waste months of work just because you cant get it together with the Queensland Police. Some ‘high tech’ operation this was. What is their ETA for the airport? Well the plane is due to land in nine fifteen, so that only leaves Johannsen ten minutes to get off the plane, collect the luggage and leave the airport. Stone, Danni and I will be on his tail…. This is not the time for an argument about names, look how about I get Danni to crack on to him or something, Stone and I will keep in contact with the Brisbane SOG Team. Ok then” Mac hung up the phone and put it back in her bag, turning to Oscar “Adair has agreed to let us tail Johannsen until the Soggies get to the airport, which shouldn't be more than ten minutes after we land, I’ll just go update Danni on the new plan before we have to put on our seatbelts.” Mac climbed over Oscar, and went to the Air Attendants area at the front of the cabin. She approached the closest air hostess and asked “Can I please speak to… I can’t remember her name, she was tall and blonde” The air hostess smiled, and called out to the group of air attendants behind her “Kirsty! Someone wants to see you!” Danni looked up and came over, as the other air hostess left, she whispered to Danni “Good luck!” Danni smiled, and asked Mac “Can I help you?” Mac smiled, and said “Yes, the coffee you served me before was cold” Mac looked past Danni, seeing the other woman was out of hearing range, before quickly giving Danni the latest information “The sting is going ahead. When the plane lands I need you to stall Johannsen, crack on to him or something, just stall him for fifteen minutes, until the Soggies get here. Make sure you don't loose him, cos if we do, its my neck” Danni agreed, as another of the air hostesses come up behind them, Danni went to turn away from Mac saying “Sorry Ma’am, I’ll make sure it hot next time” Mac just said “Well you’re lucky I’m not reporting this to your supervisors” As the plane touched down, Danni quickly left the plane through a staff exit, before any of the passengers had even left their seat. She made her way to the baggage terminal, and waited for the suspect to show up. Twenty minutes later Danni glanced at her. It was quarter to ten, fifteen minutes until the Soggies arrived and most of the passengers had already been thought to collect their luggage, and yet Wade Johannson was a no show. She got her mobile from her pocket and called Mac “Mac, its me. I reckon he is going to be a no show, did Adair have his facts straight or what?… I reckon you should call off the Soggies, this is waste of time… Ok then, I’ll see you at the lounge” Danni looked at the luggage belt for a second before saying goodbye to Mac “Mac, its gone, the bag is gone, no I didn’t see, I’m looking now” In a panic, Danni glanced around the airport, and out of the corner of her eye caught sight of the luggage, and Wade Johannsen “Its alright Mac, I see him, I’m going after him now, Bye” Danni hung up the phone, and ran toward Johannsen as he moved toward the exit with the expensive luggage. Wade Johannsen was a short balding man, despite the fact he was only twenty-seven. Not the kind of looks Danni normally looked for in a guy, but this was her job. As Danni approached him from behind, detoured to one side of him, before walking straight for him, tripping over the luggage he was wheeling behind him “Oh, I’m am so sorry, I am so clumsy” Danni looked at this man. He sure didn’t seem like a criminal, but he was the one wheeling away Mac and Oscars ‘Royal Dalton’. He answered Danni, trying to be on his way again “That’s alright, no harm done” Danni smiled, stepping in front of him, blocking his way, and extended her hand “My name is Kirsty Bennett” Johannsen smiled, but still he wanted to get through those exit doors, but decided he would have to be polite “Wade, Wade Johannsen” Danni glanced back up at the clock that was. Five minutes she had to stall this guy for, and she could tell he wasn’t in the mood, but she had to do this for Mac “So Wade, that’s a fairly unique name isn't? Kirsty on the other hand is fairly common, there was like three other Kirsty’s in my class when I was at school. Bet you never ran into any other Wades at school?” Wade smiled “No, there never where any other Wades” Johannsen went to get around Danni, but she stood in front of him again, putting her hand on his shoulder “So Wade, do you live in Melbourne, I saw you, I was on the same flight, as a flight attendant, obviously” Danni made a gesture to her Air Hostess uniform Wade smiled “No, I was just in Melbourne visiting friends, I live in Brisbane” Danni smiled “Oh really, so do I, where abouts do you live?” To Danni’s relief, she could see the Soggies coming through the doors, and Wade panicked, leaving the bag at Danni’s feet and ran toward the exit, only to be intercepted by the Soggies. Half an hour later, Danni, Mac and Oscar were on a plane back to Melbourne, this time in Economy class. That night, the four of them meet at the bar, like they had arranged, for their own special debriefing. Pete laughed as he congratulated Danni “The old Mayo charm works again!” The rest of them laughed as Danni finished the rest of her drink, getting up to get another “Yeal well I was just glad to stick it up Adair's arse. Call it all off, that was crap. I'm going to the bar anyone want anything?” Pete and Mac declined, while Oscar said “Any chance of getting some chips? I got the munchies” Danni smiled, and walked toward the bar, with Oscar yelling after her “Not plain, I hate plain!” Mac and Pete laughed, and Mac said to the guys “You have no idea how good it is to be one of you guys again, doing what I love, minus the pressures of being boss” Pete put his arm around her “Its great to have you back as one of us again” Oscar caught onto something, watching Mac and Pete hug. There was something so natural about it, no awkwardness at all. Danni returned with her beer and a packet of chips for Oscar “Chicken alright Stone? Talk about Mr Fussy Bum” Danni took her seat, and for the first time noticed Mac and Pete sitting together, Pete with his arm around Mac’s shoulder, Mac leaning into him. Before she had the chance to say something, she saw someone coming in the door, behind Mac and Pete “Oh shit, don't look now, but that’s Adair walking through the door” Oscar quickly glanced up before looking away saying “Social visit do you think?” Mac sighed, still not turning around “Doubt it” Adair came up behind Mac and Pete “Thought I would find you lot here. It is a bosses privilege to read emails didn’t you know?” Danni arched up “That’s a breach of privacy!” Adair smiled “Nothing is private when you are working in undercover” He turned to Mac and Pete “So is this the reason you resigned from boss Ellen, so you could carry on seeing you boyfriend here?” Mac turned to face him, breaking away from Pete “No it isn't Adair. I quit so I could spend more time with my friends, something I should have done while Angie was still alive. Her death made me realize there are more important things in life that climbing up the corporate ladder.” Adair looked at her unmoved by what she just said “The sooner you all forget about your deceased colleague, and these little friendships groups, the better off you will all be. And as for you Mackenzie and Church, it is my opinion that you two are involved in a relationship, and therefore you are both suspended until further notice” Danni and Oscar looked on in shock, and Pete was speechless. Mac was the only one who stood up, so she was face to face with Adair, and using his real name, said “ Is that a hint of jealousy I see there Dave? You see, I have worked out the reason you have come to undercover. You aren’t here permanently are you? You’re just here to boost our efficiently, before leaving again. You were never one to stick around were you?” Adair looked at Ellen, knowing what she was going to say next “You are just going to rearrange every procedure we have, then leave, with everyone else having to pick up the pieces. Well you can tell the Brass that there is nothing wrong with our everyday procedures, and though some of our operations may not be totally by the book, we never put the life of one of our own into danger, nor the respectability of the Police Force. I thought maybe that things would have changed that you might have changed. I know I have changed from the girl I was at sixteen when you left me, pregnant and alone to face my parents. I am no longer going to sit around and feel sorry for myself, I’m going to stand up to you, and the Brass if I have to. If not for me, for these guys” Mac gestured to Pete, Oscar and Danni, who were sitting stunned in their seats. None of them had even considered Mac and Adair being high school sweethearts, and none of them had even dreamed that Mac had been a teenage mother. Mac knew she had just exposed the demons of her past to the rest of the team, and was not sure what their reaction would be. Scared, she turned to Adair one last time “You haven’t heard the last of this Dave Matheson” and with that she ran out of the pub, Pete hot on her heels.